” Spurred by disaffection with urban culture, federal control and the increased state regulation pressed by the Sacramento government seated to the south, a growing number of northern Californians are pushing for secession from their state.

At least two counties — Siskiyou and Modoc — have already reportedly voted for withdrawal; officials in another, Tehama County, recently voted to put a referendum for secession on the ballot in June of 2014; and seven other northern California counties now claim popular committees in support of the long-shot measure, according to the Los Angeles Times.

” We are staking our futures on our ability to live and thrive in this area,” Kayla Nicole Brown, a 23-year-old from Redding who is now a leader in Shasta County’s secession movement, told The Times. “And if we can’t, we have to leave.”

” Along Interstate 5 near Yreka, a Northern California town of about 8,000 people, the roof of an old hay barn informs drivers in bold, black letters they have entered the “State of Jefferson.”

For over 70 years, a group of citizens in Northern California and Southern Oregon have pushed to unite their rural counties and secede from their respective states, creating a new state following the small-government ideals allegedly professed by Thomas Jefferson.

On Tuesday, a second California county joined the growing movement. Modoc County supervisors voted 4-0 in favor of secession, following in the footsteps of neighboring Siskiyou County that made a similar decision earlier this month.

Modoc County Board Chairwoman Geri Byrne told Al Jazeera that public sentiment was strongly in favor of passing the resolution. In a packed public meeting of about 40 people, Byrne said only two people spoke against secession.

Her constituents, Byrne said, are “frustrated,” because rural counties have “no voice in the state of California.”

Supporters of secession say that urban California holds sway in the halls of Sacramento, where both legislative houses are elected proportionally. Since California’s 33 rural counties make up only 9 percent of the total population, rural residents simply are not represented, Byrne said.

Liz Bowen, a member of the Jefferson Declaration Committee, said it takes six hours to drive through her state senator’s district. Senate District 1, which includes Modoc and Siskiyou counties, covers 10 counties. In contrast, Los Angeles metro area has 18 Senate districts. Without influence in Sacramento, she said, “So many laws, rules and regulations have been placed on us that our freedom has been eroded.” “

” Gusty winds from the north, 110-degree temps,. combined with a sub-10% RH made this fire take off very quickly. lIt went from 0-1000 acres in the span of just over an hour. Many residents were caught off guard – there has been one confirmed fatality so far.

” California investigators still have no suspect in the killing of a 9-year-old girl in her home Saturday.

WTVR reports, Leila Fowler, 9, was found by her brother with several stabbing injuries in their Calaveras County, Calif. home. She died later that day at a hospital according to a Calaveras County Media Release by Sheriff Capt. Jim Macedo.

Macedo said the girl’s parents had been at a “nearby public event” and that her brother, who was not named, “is not a suspect at this time, but we are continuing to talk to him, which would be normal because he was the last person with the child.” “